Private Ruth Ogunleye, the female soldier discharged from the Nigerian Army after accusing a senior officer of sexual harassment, has called on the Army to make public the investigation that led to her dismissal. She made this plea through a video posted on her TikTok account, where she urged the authorities to reveal the findings to the public.
Earlier this year, Ogunleye accused Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem, Colonel G.S. Ogor, and Brigadier General I.B. Solebo of sexual harassment and making her life unbearable. She shared her ordeal on social media in January 2024, leading to an investigation by the Nigerian Army.
However, the Army’s spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, provided an update on the case at Army headquarters on Tuesday. He stated that after a thorough review of the facts, testimonies, and evidence, the allegations made by Ogunleye were found to be false.
“The conclusion was reached after an exhaustive review of the facts, testimonies, and evidence presented during the investigation,” Nwachukwu said.
He stressed that the Army took the matter seriously and ensured a fair and transparent process.
In response to the Army’s statement, Ogunleye reiterated her call for transparency.
“I want to say a big thank you to the Nigerian Army and its spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu. It is no longer news that I was discharged from the service on June 15, 2024. I humbly request that the Nigerian Army publish the outcome of the investigation that led to my discharge,” she said.
She urged the Army to post the full details of the investigation on its social media platforms so that the public could understand what led to her dismissal.
“I beg the Nigerian Army to post the outcome of the investigation on its social media platforms so that the whole world will know what truly transpired and what led to my discharge. I will be very grateful if my request is considered,” Ogunleye added.
Ogunleye also called on the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, to intervene in the matter. She claimed that the minister had previously advised her to submit a voluntary resignation letter, which the minister then forwarded to the Nigerian Army on her behalf. Ogunleye expressed shock and confusion over the fact that her discharge was later categorized as a medical discharge due to mental illness.
“I’m calling out the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy. You’re not just a mother, you’re a woman everybody respects so much. Please come out and say things as they are. Ma, you requested me to leave the job, and I submitted my handwritten voluntary resignation letter to you, which you gave to the Army and requested that they release me to your office. The psychiatric doctors were there when you intervened,” she said.
Ogunleye further revealed that the Chief of Army Staff contacted her on July 1, informing her that her voluntary discharge had been changed to a medical discharge to ensure she would receive her pension and other benefits. She questioned the decision and sought clarification on why her discharge was linked to mental illness.
“Come out and tell the truth, ma. Thereafter, the Chief of Army Staff called me on July 1, where he told me he converted my voluntary discharge to a medical discharge because you wanted me to benefit from pension and other entitlements. How was I boarded out, and where is this mental illness coming from?” Ogunleye questioned.